Robinson takes third in road mile on return from injury

PAUL Robinson continued his comeback from injury with an encouraging performance over a road mile at the Great North City Games in Newcastle on Saturday.

The 27-year-old finished a close third in 4:12 behind Australia’s Jordy Wiliamsz and Abdelaati Iguider, who both clocked 4:11.

Robinson finished fourth in the European 1500m final in 2014 but has been plagued by foot and Achilles tendon issues in recent years but, in just his third race of 2018, he showed signs of slowly getting back to his best. A week earlier he had clocked 3:46.67 for 1500m in Padua, Italy.

Emma Mitchell impressed in her half marathon debut in Newcastle; the Northern Irish athlete clocking 74:37 in the Great North Run yesterday to finish eighth.

The race was won by Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot in 67:43, while the men’s race saw Mo Farah win with ease in 59:26 as the Briton continues his preparations for next month’s Chicago Marathon.

Back home, Kerry O’Flaherty and Eric Keogh claimed overall victories in the Kia Race Series at Mondello international race track. O’Flaherty won her fifth race of the series in yesterday’s finale, clocking 34:35 to beat Laura O’Shaughnessy (35:46).

Hiko Tonosa won yesterday’s men’s race in 30:17 ahead of Raheny’s Kevin Dooney (30:31) and Mick Clohisey (30:38) but due to his consistent string of results, Keogh took the race series and winning prize of a Kia Ceed.

Meanwhile, at the World Masters Championships in Malaga, Joe Gough will line up to chase gold in tomorrow’s M65 800m final, the Waterford man having breezed through his semi-final yesterday in 2:28.